Galatians 4:19

My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—

BSB

My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

KJV

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

ASV

My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you—

BBE

My children, of whom I am again in birth-pains till Christ is formed in you,

Original Greek

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The early church

Observe his perplexity and perturbation, "Brethren, I beseech you:" "My little children, of whom I am again in travail:" He resembles a mother trembling for her children. "Until Christ be formed in you." Behold his paternal tenderness, behold this despondency worthy of an Apostle. Observe what a wail he utters, far more piercing than of a woman in travail;-Ye have defaced the likeness, ye have destroyed the kinship, ye have changed the form, ye need another regeneration and refashioning; nevertheless I call you children, abortions and monsters though ye be. However, he does not express himself in this way, but spares them, unwilling to strike, and to inflict wound upon wound. Wise physicians do not cure those who have fallen into a long sickness all at once, but little by little, lest they should faint and die. And so is it with this blessed man; for these pangs were more severe in proportion as the force of his affection was stronger. And the offense was of no trivial kind. And as I have ever said and ever will say, even a slight fault mars the appearance and distorts the figure of the whole.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Galatians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 19–20

The Galatians were ready to account the apostle their enemy, but he assures them he was their friend; he had the feelings of a parent toward them. He was in doubt as to their state, and was anxious to know the result of their present delusions. Nothing is so sure a proof that a sinner has passed into a state of justification, as Christ being formed in him by the renewal of the Holy Spirit; but this cannot be hoped for, while men depend on the law for acceptance with God.

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Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.